RAVA^™ Flame Retardant–Free Convertible Car Seat

Main reason I went with Rava: I have a smaller SUV (GLK Benz) and it has a very small backseat, after some research the Rava seemed to be highly recommended in general but also for smaller cars as it is less bulky than other convertible car seats. Also has a higher weight limit for rear facing than most car seats too. Pros: Fits OK in a small backseat, probably wouldn’t be able to fit 3 across though and even 2 across would be a tight fit but at least someone could still sit in the passenger side. In my review photos, I have the car seat set at level 3 rear facing (so the middle option as far as how reclined it can be) and it hits up right against the passenger side seat but still usable. It is very sleek looking and it seems durable and comfortable for baby. The extra padding around the straps and crotch is a plus in my book and you don’t realize how much of a difference it makes to have a no-rethread adjustment until you get it and see how easy it is to adjust with baby in the seat! Harness and buttons work smoothly and are not difficult to use either. Cons: The “foldable” cup holders on the sides feel incredibly flimsy, it is probably the only area that feels cheap compared to the rest of the car seat. And because you thread the seat belt through the cupholders for install, it makes it a little finicky when trying to put the cupholder back when it’s not in use as it gets in the way. The harness pockets on the sides that are supposed to help keep the straps out of the way for when you put baby in are quite small and if you don’t put the buckle in the tiny hole perfectly, it is ineffective. I was used to Graco’s version where you just slide the belt through the hook which was a bit more user friendly, especially in rushed moments. Install: I read the manual twice, watched a 5 minute YouTube video and was able to install this by myself in about 20 minutes. My husband was impressed. Although installing the carseat was easy, I would not recommend this for traveling through an airport or having to move back and forth from two cars because it is heavy! Shipping: Wow, incredibly fast and efficient. I ordered on a Friday night and it was on my doorstep by Monday. Color: The Nordstrom exclusive ‘Threaded’ color wouldn’t have been my first choice but saving $100 off for the Black Friday deal made it well worth it and to be honest I was afraid of the gray clashing with my all black interior car but it looks totally fine in person. It is a bit of a lighter soft gray color than as photographed online. Also the lighter color seems like it would hold up well in areas with high heat temperatures but could possibly get dirty easier than the black or navy. Overall: Satisfied with my purchase and would recommend. Seems like it will last for a few years for my baby. Tip for buyers, it usually goes on sale twice a year for 20% off during the annual sale and Black Friday. Worth waiting for if you can, but color will be limited to gray.

When our baby outgrew the Nuna pipa, there was no question in my mind that our next car seat would be a Nuna Rava. The Pipa was such a perfect car seat from the materials, the light weight to the ease of use we ended up buying two Ravas for both our cars when it was time to upgrade. The Rava on the other hand turned out to be an infuriating design that starts my morning off with biting my tongue while trying to strap my little one in. When you first open the box, you are greeted with a message that says “The Belt is better!” because this Nuna seat does not use your built in car seat latches in your car and involves a sumo wrestling match with the Rava to get it squished down into your seat and the car belt tightly through it. But you will find yourself doing this installation often because the car seat gradually works to one side of your automobile seat and upward from the upward tension of the belt on one side. So no.. the belt is not better. The straps on this constantly twist and hide twists behind the bulky strap pads. This will consume most of your time of trying to get your child buckled in as you undo the twisty puzzle in your morning daze. It's not because they are long straps. The straps are much shorter than other car seats and this will be very obvious as your child grows into a toddler. Like my Pipa, the Rava came with uneven cut straps from the factory so one side will always be slightly less snug than the other. The fabrics are nice but when your child throws up on it, you will need to dedicate a good hour to taking it apart oh yes, and sumo-wrestling mounting it back in your car. The fact that we bought a second one off the bat only makes me more embarrassed that I did not do my research and read the other 1 star reviews on here that echo my concerns with this car seat.